18 You are way too cool……

After leaving the Hokage's office Naruto walked towards the spot where he and the team were supposed to meet.

Sakura and Sasuke were already waiting by the time Naruto arrived at the small bridge.

About an hour later…..

"Well...Good Morning, everyone..."

("Oh boy, here we go again...") Naruto and Sasuke thought.

"Today, I got lost on the path of life..." Kakashi started giving excuses only to be struck down by Sakura's glare.

"Ahem!…." Kakashi coughed.

"Today we have to do a bunch of D-Rank missions..."

"D-Rank?" The trio stared at Kakashi.

….

About a few missions later…..

During the river clean-up, Sasuke stared at Naruto picking up trash from the water as he threw it to the bin at his back using tweezers.

("Shit, This is extremely frustrating") He thought

("They're plenty of guys outside who are stronger than I am....not to mention Naruto himself…..")

("I'm stuck here, always doing this kind of lame mission...") Sasuke thought as he continued picking the trash.

Sakura and Naruto were also picking up trash nearby, meanwhile Kakashi was up on the tree reading his novel.

….

Later…

The trio and Kakashi were looking at each other as Kakashi said…

"Perhaps we should disperse."

"I do need to submit a report about this mission."

"Sensei!" Naruto called as he ran over.

"What is it Naruto?"

Naruto moved closer as he whispered, "Sensei, is there anything Sakura could learn, I am sure she has potential..." Naruto said.

"Hmmm…"

("Sakura is a genjutsu type.... Even though she failed in that training badly") Kakashi thought as he saw Sakura beside Naruto who was fawning over Sasuke.

Sakura walked over to Sasuke as she asked

"Hey, how about…."

"Why don't you and…."

"Why don't we work on improving our teamwork together?"

Sasuke turned towards Sakura as he contemplated a bit before saying…

"If you have time to spend on me, why don't you practice a jutsu!"

"To tell you frankly, you are the weakest in the team right now…."

Sasuke said as he started walking about his merry way.

Sakura felt completely abandoned at this point completely slouching while she stood.

"Sakura!" Kakashi called out

"Yeeessss..." Sakura answered without any spirit as she turned about weakly.

"Meet me in the training field by evening at 4pm!" Kakashi said as he flew away, leaving Naruto and Sakura behind.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto said as he tried to cheer her up.

"Do you want to go on a date with me?" Naruto asked.

Sakura became wild at this moment as she immediately reacted by smacking Naruto in the head.

"I only wanted to cheer you up..." Naruto said while feeling wronged.

"Oh…sorry!" Sakura said as she turned away starting to leave.

"I want to help you improve your abilities." Naruto said, upon which Sakura stopped.

"How?" Sakura asked with fire almost burning in her eyes.

"We need to talk this over….." Naruto replied.

"All right then, I will hang out with you, but this will not be considered as a date" Sakura said as she held one of Naruto's hand and marched away with him.

…

…

…

…

In a nearby restaurant under the shade…..

Naruto and Sakura sat down opposite to each other as they ate from their plates.

"So…." Sakura initiated.

"You see Sakura, after being in many missions by now, I am sure you would have realised that both me and Sasuke, we are power/ fighting types, considering that we had to fight against people."

"Whereas you have always stood at the back…."

"Ok..." Sakura said, upon which Naruto witnessed her getting even more angry.

"From what I have observed, you could be suitable for laying traps, treating injuries or perform long range attacks..." Naruto continued.

"Hmmm.....you do have a point..."

"So which one do you suggest I pick?" Sakura asked curiously.

"Well for starters, you could learn more about traps, but more importantly than that I would like you to focus on medical ninjutsu."

"medical ninjutsu…" Sakura murmured as she took a bite.

"Kakashi sensei has called you, this evening right?"

"Yes!" Sakura confirmed.

"I'm pretty sure he is going to teach you something for offense..."

"But it would also be for the best if you could learn some simple first-aid and a basic healing jutsu. I'm sure it can come in handy just in time for the exam..." Naruto said as he took a bit from his plate.

"Exam?…..What exam?" Sakura asked.

"The chuunin exam of course."

..

..

"Hinata!" Naruto shouted being shocked.

He truly did not expect that Hinata would show up especially when he was having a chat alone with Sakura.

"Naruto-kun and Sakura-san?" Hinata was shocked.

"Hinata, This is not what you think it is...." Naruto got up slowly approaching Hinata.

"Hinata, I swear we are not here on a date...." Naruto tried to console Hinata upon which Hinata started running away…

"NNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!" Naruto screamed as he fell on the floor with despair across his face.

Meanwhile Sakura was watching Naruto with a dumbfounded expression….

("Naruto…..and...Hinata.....just what is going on here...?") Sakura thought as she almost felt her head spin.

…

…

The duo walked back to the same place they had met up, after finishing all their missions while a strange box followed from behind.

Naruto turned back

"Konohamaru..."

"There is no such thing as perfectly square rock with two perfect holes!" Naruto said as he pointed towards the box.

"Just what you'd expect from the man I respect!"

"You are my rival, aren't you!" Konohamaru said upon which the box exploded with a pink smoke revealing three little bodies inside, after which they stood up.

"Hey that's too much gunpowder" Konohamaru complained.

The trio then jumped as they started introducing themselves.

"With an adult sexiness! I am Moegi of the senior class at Kunoichi Preschool!" Said the girl with the orange hair.

Next up was a boy with glasses and a snot almost threatening to drop out of his nose as he said

"I love factoring! Udon!"

And finally Konohamaru as he said

"The most brilliant Ninja in the village!...Konohamaru !"

The trio then spoke together

"The three of us together are the Konohamaru Gang!"

Naruto looked at the three of them as he said

"Why are you all wearing goggles?"

Konohamaru grinned as he pointed to his goggles and said "We're just copying what you used to do, bro!"

"Oh!"

"What's with the oh!…?" Konohamaru asked.

"Your reactions have been pretty cold these days!"

"So did you want something?" Naruto asked

"So leader! Do you have some free time now?" Moegi stepped forward.

"Nah!…I have to train!"

"What?! You said you'd play Ninja with us today!" Konohamaru sulked.

"Oh?….Is that right?" Naruto scratched his head.

("If I played with these guys they would make me hang out all day…")

"Hmph! Why would a ninja play ninja" an eerie voice interrupted,

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto smiled.

"Big bro Naruto, who is she?" Konohamaru pointed towards Sakura after which he stared at her trying to figure out her identity.

("Oh!")

"You've been busier than I thought, bro…" Konohamaru commented in sly voice with a sly smile across his face.

("How does everyone misunderstand us, first Hinata now Konohamaru? ") Naruto thought.

"is she your...?" Konohamaru pointed his pinky at Naruto "This "

(author's note - the pinky literally meant that Naruto was taking Sakura as a mistress/lover .)

"NARUTO!" Kurama warned.

Naruto then turned back to see a pink demon with a full-on killing intent.

Naruto vanished instantly appearing behind Sakura.

"Konohamaru!, ….RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!!" Naruto screamed trying his best to restrain Sakura.

"AAAHHHHHH!!!!" Konohamaru screamed running at top speed.

(Bang!)

Konohamaru crashed into a person twice his height.

He then looked up to see two people, one covered in black clothes and marking across his face while carrying a strange thing on his back covered in cloth strips, whereas the other was a beautiful blonde with a similarly large thing attached to her back.

"That hurt!, little punk" The man complained as he lifted Konohamaru up.

"Stop, that. You'll get yelled at later!" The girl by his side advised.

Sakura then approached the duo trying to sort the mess she had created.

"I'm sorry…"

"I was fooling around…." Sakura said in a pacifying voice.

"Hey, drop the boy this instant." Naruto said in a calm voice, knowing that he was dealing with Kankuro while he was part of the plan to bring destruction to Konoha during the chuunin exam, hence Naruto did not hold back his feelings as of this moment.

"Let's play with him before the strict one comes around" Kankuro told Temari, intent on causing trouble.

Meanwhile Naruto vanished from his spot, instantly reappearing by Kankuro as he held Kankuro's hand with a good amount of strength causing him to release Konohamaru due to the pain.

"Don't you dare lay your hands on him" Naruto said as he turned towards the tree in a nearby compound from which Gaara was watching while hanging upside down.

("Gaara!") Naruto recognised in his mind.

Meanwhile Konohamaru just got up from the ground and stared at Naruto